Harvard Business SchoolWhat are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)
Please respond to three of the following (400-word limit each):
Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. How did this experience highlight your strengths and weaknesses?
How have you experienced culture shock?
What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?
What global issue is most important to you and why?
What else would you like the MBA Admissions Board to understand about you?
The following question is for dual and concurrent degree candidates only:
How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400-word limit)

Wharton Business SchoolAll first-time applicants are required to complete four essays, with the option of a fifth essay that may be used to address extenuating circumstances. Re-applicants who applied for the Entering Fall 2006 or 2007 Class are to complete the re-applicant essays. All other re-applicants are to complete the first-time applicant essays.
REQUIRED:
1. Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect a Wharton MBA to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? (1,000 words)
2. Describe a failure or setback that you have experienced. What role did you play and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)
3. Tell us about a situation in which you were an outsider. What did you learn from the experience? (500 words)
4. Please Complete One Of The Following Two Questions:
Where in your background would we find evidence of your leadership capacity and/or potential? (500 words)
Is there anything about your background or experience that you feel you have not had the opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee in your application? If yes, please explain. (500 words)
OPTIONAL:
5. If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, TOEFL waiver request, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words)

Carnegie Mellon University – TepperRequired Essays (Suggested length — 2 double-spaced pages per essay)
A. What are your short-term and long-term goals? How will a Tepper MBA help you to achieve these goals?
B. How will your academic and professional background, personal characteristics and life experiences contribute to the diversity of the Tepper community?

C. Please answer three of the following five questions or statements (your three answers should equal a total of two pages).
a. Describe an ethical dilemma that you have faced in your professional life, how you dealt with the situation, and what the outcome was.
b. Describe a failure or setback in your professional or academic life. How did you overcome this setback? What, if anything, would you do differently if confronted with this situation again?
c. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement and why?
d. Describe your most challenging experience while working in a group.
e. Of what skill or talent are your especially proud?

Additional Essay (Required for applicants with previous academic suspensions and/or a criminal record; optional for other applicants.)
D. Is there anything additional that you think we should know as we evaluate your application? Note: if you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you should not feel obligated to answer this question. This essay is intended to provide a place for you to add information that you think is important but is not covered elsewhere in the application.

University of Chicago – GSBEssay 1: Why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Describe your personal and professional goals and the role an MBA from the University of Chicago GSB plays in your plans to reach these goals. (1500 word maximum)
Essay 2: If you could step into someone else’s shoes for a day, who would it be and why? (500 word maximum)
Essay 3: We have asked for a great deal of information throughout this application. In this portion of the application, we invite you tell us about yourself using a non-traditional application format – a PowerPoint presentation. In four slides or less, please provide readers with content that captures who you are.
Chicago offers the following guidelines on preparing slides for Question 3:
The content is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong approach to the way you construct your slides or answer this question.
There is a strict maximum of 4 slides.
Slides will be printed and added to your file for review, therefore, flash, hyperlinks, embedded videos, music, etc. will not be viewed by the committee. You are limited to text and static images to convey your points.
Slides will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas.
You are welcome to attach a word document of notes if you feel a deeper explanation of your slides is necessary.
If you do not have access to PowerPoint or a similar software application, you can contact the admissions office at admissions@chicagogsb.edu for alternative methods.
Essay 4 (Optional): If there is any important information that is relevant for your candidacy that you were unable to address elsewhere in the application, please share that information here.

Columbia1. What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals? (Recommended 750 word limit)
For Dual Degree Applicants: Please indicate the Dual Degree programs and schools to which you applied or intend to apply. Please discuss how the Dual Degree will enhance your short-term or long-term goals, and at which school you intend to begin your studies.
2. Leading in the global economy requires enabling high performance from a diverse set of employees, colleagues and partners. Tell us about a manager you’ve observed who enabled or inspired others to do their best work and analyze how this manager did it. (Recommended 500 word limit)
3. In discussing Columbia Business School, Dean R. Glenn Hubbard remarked, “We have established the mind-set that entrepreneurship is about everything you do.” Please discuss a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity. (Recommended 500 word limit)
4. Please select and answer one of the following essay questions. (Recommended 250 word limit)
a. Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life.
b. If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do?
5. (Optional) Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee? Please use this space to provide an explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or your personal history.

Cornell – JohnsonTo ensure the depth and dynamism of the Johnson School education, we seek to enroll a class composed of students whose insights are distinct and whose actions are penetrating. The essay portion of your application gives you the opportunity to candidly demonstrate your attributes and your compatibility with our rich and vibrant program.
1. For all MBA applicants (required) – 400 words
Describe your greatest professional achievement and how you were able to add value to your organization.
2. For all MBA applicants (required) – 400 words
What career do you plan to pursue upon completing the MBA and why? How will the Johnson School help you achieve this goal?
3. Optional Essay – 400 words
Complete this essay if there is other information you would like to add regarding your candidacy. For instance, if you believe one or more aspects of your application (e.g., undergraduate GPA or test scores) do(es) not accurately reflect your potential for success at the Johnson School.
4. Reapplicant Essay (required for reapplicants) – 400 words
Describe the measures you have taken to strengthen your application since you last applied to the Johnson School.

Dartmouth – TuckThe recommended maximum length for each essay is 500 words.
1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? (If you are applying for a joint or dual degree, please explain how the additional degree will contribute to those goals.)
2. Tuck defines leadership as “inspiring others to strive and enabling them to accomplish great things.” We believe great things and great leadership can be accomplished in pursuit of business and societal goals. Describe a time when you exercised such leadership. Discuss the challenges you faced and the results you achieved. What characteristics helped you to be effective, and what areas do you feel you need to develop in order to be a better leader?
3. Discuss the most difficult constructive criticism or feedback you have received. How did you address it? What have you learned from it?
4. Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?
5. (Optional) Please provide any additional insight or information that you have not addressed elsewhere that may be helpful in reviewing your application (e.g., unusual choice of evaluators, weaknesses in academic performance, unexplained job gaps or changes, etc.). Complete this question only if you feel your candidacy is not fully represented by this application.
6. (To be completed by all reapplicants) How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? Please reflect on how you have grown personally and professionally.

Darden1. (Required) Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? (500 word limit)
2. (Required) Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, education, activities and/or leadership skills will enhance the experience of other Darden students. (500 word limit)
3. (Required) Choose one of the following questions. (250 word limit)
a) What would you do if you didn’t have to work for a living?
b) Describe a significant maturing experience.
c) What have been the most satisfying aspects of your work life thus far and the most dissatisfying?
4. (Optional) If there is further information that you believe would be helpful to the Admissions Committee, please provide it below. (250 word limit)

Duke – Fuqua
Two short essay answer questions and two long essays must be completed before submitting your application. Prepare your essays carefully. The Admissions Committee considers your responses to the following questions important in the selection process. Please respond fully and concisely using 1.5 line spacing.
For the short answer questions, please restrict your response to a single page each. For the long essay questions you must answer the first question and for the second essay you may select from one of three essay options. There is no restriction on the length of your response for the two long essay questions. Applicants typically use between 500 and 750 words for long essays one and two.
Candidates who applied to Fuqua between September 2006 and April 2007 are considered reapplicants. Reapplicants are asked to complete the Reapplicant Essay in addition to the Applicant Essays.
All applicants have the opportunity to submit an optional essay to explain any extenuating circumstances of which the Admissions Committee should be aware.
Applicant Essays
Short Essays – Answer both short essay questions.
1.Why are you interested in The Duke MBA program and how will it help you achieve your goals? In answering, please also discuss your career path and state your short and long-term goals. If you are interested in the Health Sector Management concentration or a joint degree program, please address in this essay.
2. How will your background, values, and non-work related activities enhance the experience of other Duke MBA students and add value to the diverse culture we strive for at Fuqua?
Long Essays – For essay 1, please answer only one of the three essay options provided. All applicants should answer question 2.
1. Please respond fully and concisely to one of the following essay topics. Clearly identify which question you have selected.
a. To be a good team player, one needs to be an effective individual leader and vice-versa. Describe an example of where you were challenged to become a leader in a team-oriented context. What was the challenge you faced, how did you address it, and what did you take away from the experience for your future development as a leader?
b. Describe a situation in which your ability to perform ethically was challenged. What was the issue, how did you handle it, and what did you learn from it?
c. Describe a significant leadership failure in your life. What did you learn from this failure? How has it impacted who you are today and the kind of leader you would like to be?
2. How has your personal history and family background influenced your intellectual and personal development? What unique personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? Note: The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally.
Reapplicant Essay
In addition to the Applicant Essays listed above, please answer the following question. There is no restriction on the length of your response. Re-applicants typically use between 500 and 750 words for this essay.
1. Write an essay describing how you are a stronger candidate for admission compared to the previous year’s application.

Emory- Goizueta
1. List one of your most significant professional or organizational accomplishments. Describe your precise role in this event and how it has helped to shape your management skills. Please limit your response to two, double-spaced, typed pages.
2. Please complete/address two of the following statements. Please limit each response to one, double-spaced, typed page.
A. I have always wanted to….
B. My most memorable cross-cultural experience….
C. My family background is unique because….
D. The person who has had the greatest influence on my leadership style is… because…
E. The greatest lesson I have ever learned….
F. Of Goizueta’s core values (courage, integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team, community), which value resonates most with you and why?
3. What do you expect to accomplish in the Goizueta Business School MBA program? How will your participation in the MBA program fit in with your experiences and responsibilities as well as your short and long-term career goals? Please limit your response to two, double-spaced, typed pages.

Georgetown – McDonoughEssay 1 (Required – limit 750 words):
a) In one or two sentences, please state your short-term and long-term career objective(s).
b) How have your prior professional, academic, and personal experiences influenced your career plans?
c) Specifically, how will your participation in Georgetown’s MBA Full-Time Program contribute to your career objectives?
Essay 2 (Required – limit 750 words):
In your own words, how do you define leadership? Please provide a specific example (professional or personal) of a time when you embodied the characteristics of a leader. Be sure to highlight the challenges you faced and the results you achieved. What areas do you wish to develop in order to become a more effective leader?
Essay 3 (Required – limit 750 words):
What is the most significant change you have made to any organization with which you have been recently affiliated? Please describe how you identified the need for change and how you managed the process of implementing change. What were the results?
JOINT DEGREE APPLICANT ESSAY – To be completed by all joint degree candidates (Limit: 250 words)
If you are applying to a joint degree program, please address how the additional degree will help you to reach your goals.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS, PERSONAL INTERESTS, AND AFFILIATIONS (Required)
List in order of importance all community and professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, dates of involvement, offices held, and average number of hours spent per month.
OPTIONAL ESSAY (Limit: 500 words)
Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you have not addressed elsewhere. For example, you may comment on your academic record as an indication of your potential for graduate management education, or you may explain any gaps in your work history. If you are not submitting a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, use this space to explain why. Similarly, if you are not currently employed full-time, use this space to provide information about your current activities.
RE-APPLICANT ESSAY – To be completed by all re-applicants (Limit: 500 words)
How have you strengthened your candidacy since you last applied? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. In addition, please update the Admissions Committee on your career goals and your reasons for wishing to pursue an MBA at Georgetown

Indian School of Business (ISB)

1. The ISB culture stresses on a diverse mix of students; life at the ISB is a unique experience for the students. How will your candidature contribute to this culture at the ISB? (300 words max)
2. A million dollars or knighthood: what would you choose and why? (300 words max)
3. You have a new manager who has just joined your organisation. As a part of the handover, the outgoing manager is describing each person reporting to him. How do you think the outgoing manager will describe you to the incoming manager? (300 words max)
4. (Optional) Please provide additional information, if any, that will significantly affect the consideration of your application to the ISB. Please do not repeat information which has already been stated elsewhere in the application. You may use this to clarify any breaks in education/work, inform about any other item which you think has not been covered elsewhere etc. (300 words max)

Indiana – KelleyMaximum length: 2 double-spaced pages.
Mandatory
1. Please discuss your post-MBA short- and long-term professional goals. How will your professional experience, when combined with a Kelley MBA degree, allow you to achieve these goals?
Choose two of the next three:
2. Describe an ethical dilemma that you faced in your professional career. How was it resolved and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Suppose you had to choose three people—people alive now or people from another era—to travel with you on a cross-country automobile trip. Who would you choose and why? What would you hope to learn from them? (Think carefully about the company you want on those long stretches through Nebraska or Kansas.)
4. Describe what there is about your background and your experiences that will contribute to the diversity of the entering class and enhance the educational experience of other students.
Optional:
5. Is there anything else that you think we should know as we evaluate your application? If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you shouldn’t feel obligated to answer this question.

INSEADJob Essays:
1. (Required) Please give a detailed description of your job, including nature of work, major responsibilities; and, where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, number of clients/products and results achieved. (250 words)
2. (Required) Please give us a full description of your career since graduating from university. If you were to remain with your present employer, what would be your next step in terms of position? (250 words)
Personal Essays:
1. (Required) Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (400 words approx.)
2. (Required) Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)
3. (Required) Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)
4. (Required) Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career? (500 words approx.)
5. (Required) Please choose one of the following two essay topics:
a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.), or
b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)
6. (Optional) Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (200 words approx.)
7. (For reapplicants) In case of reapplication, please use this page. Your essay should state any new aspects of professional, international, academic, or personal development since your last application. We would also like you to explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. This essay should not exceed 400 words.

Kellogg
All applicants are required to answer questions 1, 2 and 3 in addition to 2 of the optional essays in question 4.
1. All applicants must complete A OR B as appropriate:
A. Master of Business Administration applicants only: Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg (one-two pages double spaced).
B. Master of Management and Manufacturing applicants only: Briefly assess your career progress to date. How does the MMM program meet your educational needs and career goals? (1 to 2 pages double spaced).
2. Each of our applicants is unique. Describe how your background, values, academics, activities and/or leadership skill swill enhance the experience of other Kellogg students. (1 to 2 pages double spaced).
3. How have your past and current leadership experiences prepared you for Kellogg? What leadership areas are you hoping to develop through your MBA experience?
4. Applicants must answer 2 of the below essays. (Re-applicants must answer question 4D and 1 other essay).
A. Outside of work I…
B. I wish the Admissions Committee had asked me…
C. Describe the most challenging professional relationship you have faced and how you handled it.
D. (Required essay for re-applicants only)—Since your previous application, what are the steps you’ve taken to strengthen your candidacy?

London Business SchoolThe essays are an opportunity to tell us more about yourself. Use the essays to detail your interests, values and goals. We are interested in what motivates you, evidence of leadership and team work, why you are looking to pursue an MBA at this point in your life, and what you will bring to the London Business School Community. The essays are a vital part of your application and thus we recommend that you spend a significant amount of time in their preparation.
Required Essays:
Question 1 (500 words)
In what role do you see yourself working immediately after graduation? Why? How will your past and present experiences help you achieve this? How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal?
Question 2 (200 words)
Where do you see your career progressing five years after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?
Question 3 (500 words)
Please describe your experience of working in and leading teams, either in your professional or personal life. Given this experience, what role do you think you will play in your study group, and how do you intend to contribute to it?
Question 4 (400 words)
Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community event do you envisage yourself leading? How would you set about becoming involved in a leadership position and how would you align and communicate the goals and vision for the club to the wider School community?
Question 5 (150 words)
Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country. What did you gain from these?
Optional Essay:
Question 6 (300 words): Is there any other information that you believe would help the MBA Admissions Committee when considering your application?

MIT – SloanCover Letter
Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Please comment on your career goals and those factors which influenced you to pursue an MBA education at MIT Sloan. The cover letter provides a chance for you to discuss your passions, values, and interests. Through what you write we hope to discover whether you will thrive at MIT Sloan and how you will contribute to our diverse community. Address your cover letter to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.
Essays
For all applicants:
Use the essays to tell us more about you and how you work, think, and behave. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response. Include what you thought, felt, said, and did. Please select experiences or events from the past one to two years.
More than that, the essays are a chance for you to discuss your passions, values, interests, and goals. Emphasize those experiences that were most important and meaningful for you — which may not necessarily be those that were most outwardly prestigious. Be sincere and be specific. There is no one “right” kind of MIT Sloan student; in fact, MIT Sloan deliberately builds each class to unite varied strengths and perspectives. Tell us what particular experiences and expertise you will bring to the mix. The essay instructions and questions are included below.
We are interested in learning more about you and how you work, think, and act. For each essay, please provide a brief overview of the situation followed by a detailed description of your response.
For MBA and LFM applicants [LFM applicants also see Essays 5 and 6, below]:
Essay 1: Please tell us about a time when you had an impact on a group or organization. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did. (500 words or less.)
Essay 2: Please tell us about a challenging interaction you had with a person or group. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did. (500 words or less.)
Essay 3: Please tell us about a time when you defended your idea. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did. (500 words or less.)
Essay 4: Please tell us about a time when you executed a plan. Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did. (500 words or less.)
For LFM Applicants only:
Essay 5: Why do you wish to pursue the LFM Program? How does this fit into your future plans? (250 words or less.)
Essay 6: Why do you wish to pursue the engineering field and specialty area you have selected? (250 words or less.)
For BEP Applicants – All applicants to BEP must answer two essay questions: Answer question A and question B or C.
A. (Required of all BEP applicants) What is your definition of success as you consider a career in the biomedical industry? Provide a brief overview of your ideal career path over the next 10-15 years as you move toward that success. Explain what you hope to have accomplished at the end of that period and how your experiences in BEP will have helped make those accomplishments possible. (500 words maximum)
B. IAnswer B or C) Describe one area of science or technology that you believe is particularly promising in terms of having an impact on the practice of medicine and affecting people’s health. What is the underlying problem, why is it significant, and what are promising solutions that might address it? (750 words max)
C. (Answer C or B) Describe one medical or healthcare problem on which you hope to make a positive impact. Explain why this problem is meaningful to you and how you hope to promote progress toward solving it. (750 words max)

NYU – SternThe admissions committee requires three personal essays. These essays give you the opportunity to provide insight into your character, experiences and goals. Your essays should be written entirely by you. An offer of admission will be withdrawn if it is discovered that you did not write your essays.
1. Professional Aspirations
Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Describe the following (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font):
(a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
(b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
(c) What is your career goal upon graduation from the NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
2. Fit with Stern
The NYU Stern community is one of our strongest assets. Please answer the following questions about community: (500 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)
(a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? What actions have you taken to learn more about us?
(b) How would you contribute to our community as a student?
(c) How will you benefit personally and professionally from the Stern community?
3. Personal Expression
Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.
All submissions become part of NYU Stern’s permanent records and cannot be returned for any reason. We do not recommend submitting anything that must be played or viewed electronically, that is perishable (e.g. food) or that has been worn (e.g. used clothing). If you submit a written essay, it should be 500 words maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font.
4. Additional Information (Optional):
Please provide any additional information you would like to bring to the attention of the admissions committee. This may include gaps in employment, your undergraduate record, plans to retake the GMAT or any other relevant information.
An explanation must be provided in Essay 4 if:
You have been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation or required to withdraw from any college or university.
You have ever been convicted of a crime.
You cannot provide a recommendation from your current supervisor.

Ohio State – Fisher
1. Shaping Your Vision: Every year Fisher College’s MBA program admits a select group of talented young professionals with demonstrated potential to become successful business leaders in an increasingly competitive, global environment. Briefly summarize your professional accomplishments to date. Why do you want to earn an MBA degree in general and a Fisher College MBA specifically? Include your goals post-MBA and your plan for achieving them (maximum 750 words).
2. Focusing on Leadership: Another of Fisher College’s strengths is its dedication to developing leaders. Below are 10 attributes that characterize great leaders. Please select the two criteria that best describe you, your leadership style or your leadership successes to date and provide us with concrete evidence of your accomplishments. You may submit physical objects, images, photographs or photocopies, along with brief descriptions of how the objects exemplify the leadership qualities (example: to illustrate endurance, you might share a copy of a marathon medal along with a paragraph describing your marathon experience) or you may choose to write an essay for each of the two characteristics you select, describing situations in which you exemplified these leadership traits (each with a maximum of 500 words). Please note: The Fisher College will not be responsible for returning physical objects to applicants.
Integrity
Passion
Empathy
Vision
Curiosity
Self-awareness
Endurance
Communication and inter-personal skills
Creativity
Global awareness
3. Discovering You: As a Fisher College MBA student you get the best of both worlds: the up close and personal feel of a small program combined with the resources and opportunities offered by a major research university. You as an individual participant will play a key role in shaping our culture. For this reason, we would like to learn more about who you are and what unique characteristics you will contribute to the Fisher College community. Provide an honest description of yourself outside your professional context, stressing the personal characteristics you sense to be your strengths and weaknesses and the factors that have most influenced your development to date (maximum 750 words).

Purdue – KrannertA. Discuss your long- and short-term career goals, how these goals developed, and what you hope to gain from graduate study at Krannert. Limit your response to no more than 500 words.
B. The Krannert community is comprised of a diverse student body. Describe an aspect of your personality, things you have learned, skills you have acquired, or life experiences you’ve had that could benefit potential classmates and will help you contribute to Krannert’s diversity. Limit your response to no more than 500 words.
C. In 100 words or less, describe a character-building event or situation in which your involvement made a significant difference.

Rochester – SimonPlease limit each response to no more than 500 words.
1. Describe your post-MBA or post-MS career plans. How does your past education and experience support your career objectives? What aspects of the Simon School program make it a good choice for your graduate study?
2. Discuss three accomplishments which demonstrate your potential as a successful leader.
3. Answer one of the following questions:
Cite and explain a specific situation in which you demonstrated initiative.
Describe a failure or setback that you have experienced. How did you overcome this setback? What, if anything, would you do differently if confronted with this situation again?
4. (Optional) Share any information that you think is important in the evaluation of your application, including any concerns you think the Admissions Committee may have regarding your application

Stanford
We read the essays to get to know you as a person and to learn about the ideas and interests that motivate you. Because we want to discover who you actually are, resist the urge to “package” yourself in order to come across in a way you think Stanford wants. Such attempts simply blur our understanding of who you are and what you can accomplish.
In other parts of the application, we learn about your academic and professional accomplishments (i.e., what you have done). Through your personal essays, we learn more about the person behind the achievements (i.e., who you are).
We want to hear your genuine voice throughout the essays that you write. Truly, the most impressive essays are those that do not begin with the goal of impressing us.
This is the time to think carefully about your values, your passions, your hopes and dreams. In your short answer responses, we learn more about the experiences that have shaped your attitudes, behaviors, and aspirations.
Your answers to all 3 questions may not exceed a total of 7 printed pages, double-spaced, using a size 12 font.
Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? (Recommended length is 3 pages, double-spaced, using 12 point font)
Essay B: What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them? As a Stanford MBA student, you will be assigned a team of advisors who will guide both your academic experience and your personal development. Your team will include a faculty advisor, a career counselor, and a leadership coach. Use Essay B to help you prepare for your first conversations with these mentors. (Recommended length is 2 pages, double-spaced, using 12 point font)
Essay C: Short Essays—Options 1-4
Answer 2 of the questions listed below. In answering both questions in Essay C, tell us not only what you did, but also how you did it. Tell us the outcome and describe how people responded. Describe only experiences that have occurred during the last three years.
Option 1: Tell us about a time when you empowered others. (Recommended length is 1 page, double-spaced, using 12 point font)
Option 2: Tell us about a time when you had a significant impact on a person, group or organization. (Recommended length is 1 page, double-spaced, using 12 point font)
Option 3: Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult, or frustrating. (Recommended length is 1 page, double-spaced, using 12 point font)
Option 4: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected. (Recommended length is 1 page, double-spaced, using 12 point font)

UT Austin – McCombsYou are required to answer all three questions. The Admissions Committee is not looking for any “correct” answers to these questions; we simply want to get to know you better.
Required Essays
1. Please define your short- and long-term goals and objectives, your career progression to date, and how an MBA fits in at this time. What makes the Texas MBA the perfect fit for you? (Limit 900 words)
2. The Texas MBA is built around four key pillars of leadership. Describe an experience that you have had that clearly demonstrates your leadership as it relates to one of our four pillars: 1) Responsibility/Integrity; 2) Knowledge/Understanding; 3) Collaborative/Communication; or 4) Worldview of Business and Society. (Limit 650 words)
3. At the McCombs School of Business, you will be part of an active and diverse community. Referencing your personal strengths and unique experience, how will you enrich the McCombs community during your two years in the program? (Limit 500 words)
Optional Essay
Please provide any additional information to the Admissions Committee that will highlight your unique personality and character and/or address any areas of concern that will ultimately be beneficial to the committee in considering your application. (Limit 350 words

UC Berkeley – Haas
Essay Questions
Listed below are the short answer questions, required essays, and optional essays that you will need to provide when completing the Fall 2008 application for Haas.
Short Answer:
1. If you could have dinner with one individual in the past, present, or future, who would it be and why? (250 word maximum)
2. Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 word maximum)
3. At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe an innovative solution you have created to address a specific challenge. (250 word maximum)
4. What steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA program, and what factors have influenced your decision to apply? (250 word maximum)
Required Essays
1. Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)
2. What are your short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? Why do you want an MBA from Berkeley at this point in your career? (1000 word maximum)
Optional Essays
1. (Optional) Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)
2. (Optional) If you wish to be considered for the Haas Achievement Award (for individuals who have achieved success in spite of significant economic, educational, health-related and/or other obstacles), please use this space to address the obstacles you have overcome. (750 word maximum)

USC – Marshall1. Describe in a brief essay (do not exceed 250 words per section – 750 words maximum):
a) Your post-MBA short-term goals. (immediately after graduation)
b) Your post-MBA long-term goals. (3-5 years after graduation) and
c) How your professional experience, when combined with an MBA degree, allows you to achieve these goals.
2. Complete one of the following three statements (do not exceed 250 words):
a) “My most significant accomplishment to date is,” or
b) “People may be surprised to learn that I,” or
c) “I am considered a leader because.”
3. Answer two of the following questions (do not exceed 500 words per question):
a) The Marshall MBA Prime Program prepares students for doing business in a global economy. Describe a cross-cultural experience that challenged you. How did you meet this challenge and what did you learn from this experience?
b) USC has garnered national acclaim for its emphasis on community outreach and service. How have you impacted your community?
c) We all experience significant events or milestones that influence the course of our lives. Briefly describe such an event and how it affected you.
4. Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider in evaluating your application (do not exceed 250 words).

University of Michigan – RossRequired Questions
Applicants must answer all 4 of the questions below.
1. Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross? (500 words maximum)
2. Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization. (500 words maximum)
3. If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (For example, teacher, musician, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multidisciplinary problems? (300 words maximum)
4. Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it. (300 words maximum)
Optional Question
Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy?
University of Michigan Ross School of Business Admission Essays
Required Questions
Applicants must answer all 4 of the questions below.
1. Briefly describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Why is an MBA the best choice at this point in your career? What and/or who influenced your decision to apply to Ross? (500 words maximum)
2. Describe your most significant professional accomplishment. Elaborate on the leadership skills you displayed, the actions you took and the impact you had on your organization. (500 words maximum)
3. If you were not pursuing the career goals you described in Question 1, what profession would you pursue instead? (For example, teacher, musician, athlete, architect, etc.) How will this alternate interest contribute to your effectiveness in solving multidisciplinary problems? (300 words maximum)
4. Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it. (300 words maximum)
Optional Question
Is there anything else you think the Admissions Committee should know about you to evaluate your candidacy?

UNC Kenan – Flagler
Questions 1 and 2 are required of all applicants. Questions 3 and 4 are optional.
Essay One (Required)
Describe your career progression to date, highlighting leadership and management positions and reasons for changing jobs or career paths, if applicable. Tell us how your experience, coupled with an MBA degree from UNC, will lead you to your short-term and long-term career goals. (1200 words maximum)
Essay Two (Required)
Describe the major obstacles or challenges you have faced in pursuit of your goals. Tell us how you addressed these challenges and how they have shaped you. (800 words maximum)
Essay Three (Optional)
Tell us about any international experience you have, either living or working abroad. Tell us how it has impacted your global perspective. (400 words maximum)
Essay Four (Optional)
UNC Kenan-Flagler seeks to enroll students from a variety of undergraduate majors. Regardless of your major, we strongly recommend that all students enter the program with some background in calculus, microeconomics, statistics and financial accounting. If you have not studied one or more of these subjects in college or university, please tell us how you have developed proficiency in these areas. If you have not been exposed to one or more of these subjects, please tell us how you will prepare yourself prior to entering UNC Kenan-Flagler. (400 words maximum)

UCLA – AndersonThe Admissions Committee considers your responses to the following essay questions extremely important in the selection process. We endeavor to admit an interesting and diverse group of students who will both benefit from and contribute to UCLA Anderson. Therefore, you are encouraged to prepare your essays with great care. Any personal insights you can offer us concerning the qualities and experiences you believe distinguish you from other applicants would be especially helpful.
All applicants must answer questions 1 through 3; question 4 is optional.
1. (Required) Please provide us with a summary of your personal and family background. Include information about your parents and siblings, where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (Limit to 2 pages, double-spaced.)
2. (Required) Discuss a situation, preferably work related, where you have taken a significant leadership role. How does this event demonstrate your managerial potential? (Limit to 1 page, double-spaced.)
3. (Required) Discuss your career goals. Why are you seeking an MBA degree at this particular point in your career? Specifically, why are you applying to UCLA Anderson? If you are a concurrent degree applicant, please incorporate in your answer how the dual program fits your professional interests. (Limit to 2 pages, double-spaced.)
4. (Optional) Is there any other information that you believe would be helpful to the Admissions Committee in considering your application? If you feel the application already represents you well, do not feel obligated to answer this essay question.

Vanderbilt – OwenPlease respond to each question below. As a guideline, required Essays 1 and 2 should be no more than 500 words in length. Optional Essay 3 should be only as long as necessary.
1. (Required) Explain your short-term and long-term career plans as specifically as possible. When combined with a Vanderbilt MBA degree, how will your previous experiences and personal attributes enable you to pursue these goals successfully?
2. (Required) Discuss significant challenges and opportunities currently facing the industry or functional area in which you plan to work after completing your MBA degree. As a change agent and visionary leader, how would you approach these issues to have a positive impact on business and society?
3. You are strongly encouraged to provide an additional statement to clarify and explain any of the following: gaps of more than three months in full-time employment, poor academic performance, weak test scores, lack of recommendation from your current or most recent supervisor, academic misconduct, violations of the law, or anything else you think is important for the Admissions Committee to know about you that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. (Response should be no longer than necessary.)

Washington – OlinThe purpose of these statements/essays is to help the Admissions Committee get to know you. Any information you can provide concerning those qualities and experiences that distinguish you from other applicants will be especially helpful.
1. Why are you seeking an MBA and, in particular, an MBA from Washington University? How will the MBA program support both your short-term and long-term career goals? (400 words maximum)
2. You step onto an elevator and find the president of the company that is your number one choice for a summer internship. It is a tall building – but you still have only two minutes to convince her that you possess the qualities that will make you the best candidate for the position and that Olin has fully prepared you for that internship. What will you say? (325 words maximum – for your information, 325 words is about 2 minutes of speaking)
3. Please explain how you might have an impact on the MBA Program at Washington University. In other words, what legacy will you leave behind? (300 words maximum)
4. Please provide any additional information about your application that you believe would be helpful to the Admissions Committee (optional).

YaleThe two required essays provide an opportunity for you to tell the Admissions Committee about your life, your career, and your goals. Because we are interested in learning as much as possible about you, your essays must be entirely your own work. Although you may ask others for general feedback on your essays, you may not allow anyone else to edit them for you. We suggest that anyone reviewing your essays do so without a pen in hand.
1. Why an MBA? – Please describe your short- and long-term goals and how your previous experience and an MBA will help you to achieve these goals. (500 words maximum)
2. Personal Statement – Please develop a question/topic of your choice and answer it in essay form. Please state the question/topic at the beginning of your essay. (500 words maximum)
Some example questions/topics include:
Describe a situation in which your leadership and/or teamwork had a significant impact.
What personal achievement are you most proud of and why?
What activities/interests do you enjoy outside the office and/or classroom and how would you integrate these activities/interests into the Yale SOM community?
What is the most difficult feedback that you have received and how did you address it?
Where is the most exciting place you have ever been and what did you learn from being there?
Describe a situation where you questioned your values and/or beliefs.
What does accountability mean to you?
If you are reapplying: How has your candidacy changed since your last application?
Optional Essay
If any aspect of your candidacy needs further explanation, please provide any additional information that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (200 words maximum)

According to my experience :
1.All require GRE subject Test. Some claim that it is not needed but in order that your application stands out I recommend you take GRE subject Test. This will facilitate a decision in your favor.
2.They need some research work. Preferably published individually or jointly with a professor. You may even have some peer reviews. People plan this well in advance and somehow wriggle through and get their name inserted along with a professor.
3.Your field of interest should match with a professor willing to accept you as a graduate scholar.
4.Excellent Recommendations written by Professors / Superiors knowing you well and willing to write specifically about your reseach interest and scholarship. These should not be vague or general.
5.Outstanding Essays. Each School should be provided an essay specifically written for it and should not be a ‘copy-paste’ exercise.
6.Excellent GPA
7.Good GRE and TOEFL scores
8. Apply early.
9. Above all plan early about the steps required to be taken. Succesful people start taking the initial steps from Junior year. Do not wait till the Senior year.
All or some of these come to play to decide on your application.

If you are admitted by these institutes than financing your education will not be a problem.An important observationAdmission in PhD is difficult as compared to admits to MS degree.
Universities generally require good academics and/or good research experience. If you have these you can get into a very high rank university. It is believed that good research experience can lead you to a top 1-20 ranked university.But this does not imply that academics and subject test is not given due weightage.
As you go to low rank universities (21-40) they concentrate more on academics and subject tests.Universities Ranked 41 and below concentrate on academics and experience but not subject test.
But once you get admits 80-90% of the times you get assistantships.
Academics play an important role if you don’t have experience.

A more Important Note

I am well aware that every applicant will not meet each of the criteria listed above.However if you cover about 80-90% of these you have a fair chance of admission and you must try. You may be lucky.GOOD LUCK
NBS

Four of the top 10 are British and the rest American. Harvard is top and Yale, Oxford and Cambridge joint second.

University College London breaks into the top 10 for the first time and Imperial College London rises to fifth.

The annual survey by the Times Higher Education Supplement and careers and education group QS ranks according to factors including academics’ opinions.

University College London rose from 25th position last year to ninth.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was joint fourth last year but falls to 10th place, while Stanford falls from sixth position to 19th.

Another US university which tumbles in the rankings is the University of California, Berkeley. It was rated eighth last year but drops to 22nd place this year.

Asia

The rankings are based on a number of factors including the opinions of academics and of companies employing graduates, international student and staff numbers, and research.

The managing director of QS, Nunzio Quacquarelli, said the rankings recognised the quality of education that UK universities offer.

He said: “In an environment of increasing student mobility, the UK is putting itself forward as a top choice for students worldwide.

They are taking a closer look at the quality of faculty, international diversity and, of course, the education they will receive there.”

Asian universities improved their standing but European institutions outside of the UK fell back, the survey said.

Last year there were 41 European universities in the top 100, but in this year’s table there are 35.

The president of Universities UK, Professor Rick Trainor, said: “As this table shows, the world standing of UK higher education is at the very top.

“This is due to the high quality of our research and teaching.

“Our competitors are increasingly marketing themselves more aggressively so it is vital that the UK remains among the foremost destinations for international students and staff.”

The Top 10 in full is:

1 Harvard University (US)
2 University of Cambridge (UK)
2 University of Oxford (UK)
2 Yale University (US)
5 Imperial College London (UK)
6 Princeton University (US)
7 California Institute of Technology (US)
7 University of Chicago (US)
9 University College London (UK)
10 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)